Here Comes the Rain Again
by the Insomniac's Past
Summary: A story of one girl's time at Degrassi. NOT a Mary Sue. Incomplete. Rated G as of September 1st; rating will change with later chapters.
1. Part 1, Page 1

_"Say goodbye to yesterday,  
__Those are words I'll never say.  
Don't hold on to the past,  
Well that's too much to ask."  
-- Madonna_

* * *

**First Part : Light Misting  
Section 1**  
  
In every school, there is at least one person like Cassidy O'Branigan. You know the type; quiet, shy, always made fun of for their clothes or behavior. Sometimes they come from foster homes and sometimes they live in one of those fancy houses on the "posh" side of town. Usually, their entire life has been one mockery after another. These are the types of people who grow up to become school counselors or who discover the gene that makes school shooters suddenly snap...

_Degrassi Community High School  
Monday, October 3rd  
_  
"Can you believe this?" Paige Michalchuk exclaimed to Hazel Aden. The two high school juniors had been eating lunch peacefully in the cafeteria until Paige had spilled ketchup on her brand-new white shirt.  
  
"At least it's not chocolate milk," Hazel offered, referring to the time when a giant glass of the stuff had been thrown all over Paige.  
  
Paige narrowed her eyes at Hazel and opened her mouth to say something sarcastic when she saw somebody coming down the hall. She elbowed Hazel and smiled.  
  
"Well, at least it's not as bad as _that_," the blonde said loudly. The girl who had been walking by, ducked her head and clutched her books tighter to her chest. She hurried by, turning around the corner. Hazel and Paige burst into giggles, the bright red stain on Paige's shirt temporarily forgotten.  
  
"You know, sometimes I kinda feel bad for her," Hazel confessed as she handed Paige more paper towels from the bathroom.  
  
Paige used the drinking fountain to wet the towels before furiously rubbing at the stain.  
  
"Why? If she wears that to school, she should expect to get teased," Paige asked, her eyes crinkled with disgust.  
  
Hazel shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
That was the truth; Hazel wasn't sure exactly WHY she felt bad for the girl in patched-up overalls and faded shoes. She radiated an aura of thrift stores and secondhand clothes, even though she rarely spoke. All the teachers seemed to adore her, saying "hi" to her in the hallways and asking about things at home. Of course, from what Hazel overheard as she walked past, things were always either "fine" or "good" at home and never anything else.  
  
"Don't," a new voice said softly. Hazel and Paige both jumped, and Hazel gained some small satisfaction knowing that Paige had jumped higher.  
  
"Don't what?" Paige snapped as she turned around to face the new arrival.  
  
"Don't rub at it like that." The speaker was none other than the girl who had walked by a few minutes ago. Her books were gone, and Hazel guessed that they were now in the worn black backpack she had slung over one shoulder.  
  
"And since when are you the Fashion Police?"  
  
The girl shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'm not the one wearing ketchup."  
  
She started walking away when Hazel grabbed Paige's arm and muttered, "I'm doing this for your own good."  
  
"Wait!" Hazel called out, causing the girl to stop and turn around. The overall girl stood there, waiting patiently, her dark green eyes twinkling slightly.  
  
Hazel shoved Paige forward a little more roughly than she'd intended, and Paige gave her a five-star Michalchuck Sneer. "Paige wants you to help."  
  
The girl shrugged. "Follow me," she said over her shoulder and started walking towards the jaintors' closet. "Wait!" Paige hissed as Hazel pushed her after the girl. "I'm _SO_ not going in there."  
  
Fortunately for Paige, the girl told them to stop right outside the doorway. Using a key she'd pulled from a pocket, the girl disappeared inside the closet. Moments later, she emerged, carrying a bottle marked in large blue letters, "BLEACH".  
  
And then the girl headed towards the locker rooms.  
  
_Outside the Guys' Locker Room  
Five minutes later_  
  
"NO!" Paige stamped her foot for emphasis. "There is no way that I'm going in there."  
  
"Paige," the girl sighed exasperatedly. "If you don't go in there, I can't wash your shirt. I've got an extra one in my bag that you can use."  
  
That scared Paige even more than the though of accidentally walking in on some unsuspecting guy, and she doubled her efforts.  
  
"Look," Hazel stepped in. "I'll cover your eyes with my hands. If there is anybody, you won't see." She got closer to Paige and whispered, "Do it and I'll give you twenty dollars."  
  
"Forty," Paige whispered back.  
  
"Twenty-five."  
  
"Thirty."  
  
"Done. Now move."  
  
The trio made their way carefully through the locker room, their noses wrinkled at the horrid smell. Once the girl had safely locked themselves in the small laundry room, Hazel uncovered Paige's eyes. Paige mouthed, "You owe me," before turning to face the girl.  
  
"So... Now what?"  
  
"You'll need to take the shirt off, obviously," she answered, digging through her backpack until a bundle of green plaid came into sight.  
  
"This was my brother's," she explained as she handed it to Paige. "It's been washed six times already," she added with a smirk.  
  
Paige took the shirt, but would only undress if the girl turned around and Hazel stood behind her. The girl obeyed, and Hazel stood back-to-back with Paige, keeping a watchful eye on the girl. A squeal of delight was the sign that Paige had successfully re-dressed.  
  
"Oh my God! This makes me look, like, ten pounds skinnier!" Paige shrieked as she twirled around. The shirt was almost 3 sizes too big, but it made Paige look elven and slight; fragile almost.  
  
The girl smiled and picked up the discarded, stained shirt.  
  
"I'll have this ready for you by the end of school today, if you want to meet me back here," the girl said with a smile. "I'll even leave the girls' side open so you don't have to try and cross the boys' locker room again."  
  
"Thanks," Paige gave her a slight smile and started to walk out when she turned on her heel slowly. Hazel stopped, propping the door open and anxiously looking for a stray gym teacher.  
  
"By the way," she added. "What's your name?"  
  
"Cassidy," the girl replied quietly, her gaze locked on the painted cement floor. "Cassidy O'Branigan."  
  
"Hmm." Paige seemed to consider the name for a moment and started leaving through the girls' side when she stopped and called over her shoulder.  
  
"Thanks...Cassidy."  
  
And the heavy metal door slammed shut behind her.

* * *

_More to come, promise. This is going to most definitely be a multi-chaptered fic..._


	2. Part 1, Page 2

**First Part : Section 2**  
  
_Degrassi Community School  
October 4th_  
  
Emma Nelson was having a bad day. Actually she was having one of those "no good, horrible, very bad" days, but it took too much energy to say all of that, let alone _think_ it. Hence why she sufficed with just "bad". And perhaps the worst part was that there wasn't just one thing to direct all of her anger at. She had to use up more precious energy being pissed at multiple targets.  
  
Thus, by the time she got to 6th period (Geometry with Armstrong), she was exhausted and scowling. By the time she left, the scowl had darkened and, if it was possible, she felt even more tired.  
  
"Could this day get ANY worse?" she muttered under her breath as she exited the classroom. Her answer came in the form of a running senior who crashed into her, sending books, folders, loose papers, and whatever else that had been in Emma's backpack sprawling across the floor.  
  
A string of curses that would've put Sean Cameron to shame escaped the sophomore's mouth. She was kneeling on the floor, gathering up various things, when a pair of scuffed and worn black shoes entered her line of vision. The cursing abruptly stopped as the shoes' owner kneeled down with Emma and handed back stuff that had made its way to the other end of the hallway.  
  
When the two girls were finished, Emma stood up and brushed herself off.  
  
"Thanks," she said to the girl, her face reflecting the pure gratitude she felt.  
  
"It's nothing, really. I know that when people knock my stuff to the floor I always wish I had someone to help and..." The girl trailed off and looked away.   
  
"Um, I'm Emma, Emma Nelson."  
  
The girl smiled. "I'm Cassidy O'Branigan."  
  
"So, what class do you have now, Cassidy?" Emma asked politely as they started walking down the hall.  
  
"English with Miss Kwan."  
  
"Really? I have that too!"  
  
"I know," Cassidy remarked quietly. Emma's face bloomed into a bright red and Cassidy giggled. She had a nice laugh and Emma immediately decided that she liked Cassidy O'Branigan.  
  
"Don't worry about it," the other girl added. "If they gave grades based on ability to infiltrate the student body unnoticed, I'd be an triple A-plus."  
  
Emma laughed too.  
  
Her no good, horrible, very bad day suddenly seemed a little more bareable.   
  
_After School_   
  
Cassidy nearly stepped on the girl who had been sitting on the school steps. For one thing, Cassidy was positive that she was the only one who stayed at school this late, and secondly, the girl had just kept snapping her rubber band, which made Cassidy slightly nervous.  
  
"Are you okay?" Cassidy asked, sitting down beside the redhead.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, I'm fine," the girl dressed in black answered absently. "Just waiting for my mom."  
  
Cassidy recognized the tone of voice in the last part; it represented known futility.  
  
"Is she having car trouble?" ventured Cassidy carefully.  
  
"No. I don't think so."  
  
"Oh." There was an uncomfortable pause before Cassidy spoke again.  
  
"Well, um, I live a few blocks away. You could call your mom, and if she's having trouble, then I'm sure my mom could give you a ride."  
  
The girl turned to look at Cassidy for the first time and a smile slowly dawned on her face.  
  
"Sure."  
  
As they walked, the girl introduced herself as Ellie Nash. Cassidy knew that an "Ellie Nash" was going out with Sean Cameron, and blushed as confessed she'd always had a crush on Sean. From that point on, the topic of conversation drifted from Sean to just boys in general.  
  
The girls were just starting to recover from another fit of giggles when Cassidy stopped and pointed to a house.  
  
"That's mine," she told Ellie.  
  
Ellie looked at the house for a moment, trying to remember every little detail: she liked to try and find the "person" inside each building. Cassidy's house looked like it could use a fresh coat of paint and a good weekend of fixing up, but Ellie had a feeling that it was run-down in the same sense as a favorite teddy bear or cherished stuffed animal. When using the Branigan house as a backdrop, it was Ellie who stood out instead of Cassidy.  
  
Cassidy opened the door and stepped inside, setting her backpack down on a shelf just inside the doorway.  
  
"Mom! I'm home! I've got a friend who needs to use the phone!" she yelled. Ellie stood quietly in the front hall, looking around curiously like every person does in a new house.  
  
A bush of curly brown hair appeared from the kitchen doorway, and Justine O'Branigan embraced her daughter lovingly. A pang of homesickness struck Ellie suddenly, and she found herself wishing that _her_ mother would hug her like that.  
  
"Hey, Cassie," Justine said as she squeezed Cassidy.  
  
"Hi, Mom," Cassidy replied. She pulled away from her mother and indicated the patiently-waiting Ellie.  
  
"This is Ellie Nash. Ellie, this is my mom, Justine."  
  
"It's nice to meet you, Ellie," Justine smiled, offering a slightly-damp hand. Ellie shook it and returned the smile.  
  
"It's nice to meet you too, Mrs. O'Branigan," she answered politely. Justine waved a hand carelessly.  
  
"Call me Justine, please."  
  
Ellie nodded and followed them into the kitchen. A sinkful of soapy water and dishes revealed why Justine's hand had been a little wet, and a plate of Oreos waited on the nearby table.  
  
"The phone's in the living room, honey," Justine told Ellie, pointing into the bright room across from the kitchen.  
  
Ellie nodded again and headed out in search of the phone.  
  
Like everything else in the house, the furniture seemed well-used and the phone had various stickers plastered all over it. Ellie knew that her mom wouldn't be awake or sober enough to answer the phone, but she still made the call, if only for show.  
  
She dreaded going back into the cheery kitchen with the daughter and mother so at ease with each other. But it had to be done. So she trudged back across the hall and put on a cheerful smile.  
  
"My mom's having some car trouble," she lied, "Could you possibly give me a ride?"  
  
"Sure, kiddo," Justine grinned. She rinsed her hands off and dried them using a paper towel. "I'll be back in a bit, 'kay, Cassie?"  
  
Cassidy nodded around a mouthful of cookies and waved good-bye to Ellie as the teen left.   
  
The ride was painfully quiet despite Ellie's overwhelming desire to say anything to Justine. Using one- or two-word answers, she directed Cassidy's mom to the small house they held near the military base.  
  
"So you're a military brat?" Justine asked as she parked the car alongside the crub. "I was one too. I moved all over the world from the time I was born to the time I left for college. But I'm guessing that moving isn't your problem."  
  
Ellie looked over at the older woman, her heart pounding in her chest. Justine returned the gaze, her eyes sadder than they'd seemed back at the house.  
  
"Life can be rough enough without having a parent in the military. I've had my fair share of rough times, Ellie, and I know how much something tiney-tiny can do." She sighed and focused on the world outside the windshield. When she looked back at Ellie, the sadness was gone from her eyes and a weary smile was on her face.  
  
"We'd love to have you for dinner some time, Ellie. And Sean can come too, if he wants."  
  
A question formed itself on Ellie's lips, and Justine cut her off.  
  
"Cassidy and I keep up with what's going on in each other's lives, for the most part. Don't think she hasn't told me about her crush on Sean and how a girl named Ellie Nash had started going out with him," she explained, the smile broadening.  
  
"See you later," Ellie finally choked out. Justine agreed with a nod of her head, then drove off after Ellie started up the front walk.  
  
Right then and there, Ellie decided that she would definitely take Mrs. O'Branigan up on that offer.  
  



End file.
